Last week I was bow hunting turkey in southern Nebraska. I arrived at about 5 a.m. and walked the 1.5 miles back to my favorite spot. I set up my ground blind and started calling. Now I've shot several turkeys with a shotgun but never with a bow. I wasn't in my blind for 30 minutes when I called a big old Tom in. I drew my bow and took the shot at about 20 yds. I hit him right through the breast. He went down and life was good....until he hopped back up and took off flying (akwardly). I watched him fly into a group of trees about 300 yards away. I instantly started tracking him. Well, about 15 minutes later, I found him up in a tree dead. I shook the tree for about a half hour to no avail. He would not fall out. So I walked back to my truck and headed to town to buy a saw. I had to wait an hour for the store to open and purchased the saw. Upon arriving back to the tree, I tried once more to shake him out. It was not happening. So a-sawing I went. Now the tree was dead and almost up-rooted so I knew my friend who owned the land would not mind. It took me about 30 minutes to cut through the tree and down it came, well....until it hit another tree and got stuck. So now I am exhausted and pissed off. I used the last bit of my energy to knock over this old tree that had to weigh 400 lbs. and down it came, turkey and all. Upon further review, I found out why the bird was stuck. It had impailed itself on a 2 inch diamiter branch, right through it's shoulder. As you can see in the pic. the branch is laying in front of the turkey. I am having the bird stuffed at the Taxedermist, (11.5 inch beard) and I am going to hang it above the branch. All things considered, I have never had to work harder for a trophy.

Gonzo

04-17-2006, 11:29 PM

.

ChiefsCountry

04-17-2006, 11:38 PM

Thats a really good story. Turkey hunting is one of the best hunts out there. You should send that in to one of the outdoor magazines.

Gonzo

04-17-2006, 11:53 PM

Thanks! I just might do that.

Rain Man

04-18-2006, 08:38 AM

That's not a turkey! It's a dog! You shot a dog!

Rain Man

04-18-2006, 08:38 AM

Never mind. I think I see the turkey now.

Phobia

04-18-2006, 08:44 AM

If a tree falls in the forrest and a turkey is perched in the branches, will it drive a branch through the turkey upon impact with the ground?

The point is, I very seriously doubt the bird impaled itself upon a branch in flight. I would imagine the branch penetrated the bird while the tree fell.

Gonzo

04-18-2006, 08:47 AM

If a tree falls in the forrest and a turkey is perched in the branches, will it drive a branch through the turkey upon impact with the ground?

The point is, I very seriously doubt the bird impaled itself upon a branch in flight. I would imagine the branch penetrated the bird while the tree fell.

Actually, the tree never hit the ground. It leaned against another tree. I had to break the branch to get the turkey down. It did impail itself, that's why it would not fall to begin with.

Bwana

04-18-2006, 08:49 AM

Heh! Sweet story. I still have to head out and smack two.

Gonzo

04-18-2006, 08:51 AM

Heh! Sweet story. I still have to head out and smack two.
Where do you go?

Phobia

04-18-2006, 08:55 AM

Actually, the tree never hit the ground. It leaned against another tree. I had to break the branch to get the turkey down. It did impail itself, that's why it would not fall to begin with.

I've seriously considered bow hunting Turkey but love my shotgun too much. Hearing your story gives me second thoughts....Hunting the bird can be work enough let alone chopping down a freakn tree!

Best bird I've gotten had three beards with the longest being 12''.

~That was five years ago and I've yet to get the damn thing back from my father-in-law that does a little taxidermy on the side :mad: ~

Midway Chief

04-18-2006, 08:59 AM

Here is a picture of my son and the turkey he bagged on April 8th (the Missouri Youth Hunt Weekend). I called him in at 6:45 am and my son nailed him at 23 steps.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d110/Mizzou92/P1010986.jpg

Gonzo

04-18-2006, 09:00 AM

I've seriously considered bow hunting Turkey but love my shotgun too much. Hearing your story gives me second thoughts....Hunting the bird can be work enough let alone chopping down a freakn tree!

Best bird I've gotten had three beards with the longest being 12''.

~That was five years ago and I've yet to get the damn thing back from my father-in-law that does a little taxidermy on the side :mad: ~
I tell you what, I have been bow hunting for them for about 3 years. It is very exciting but very difficult. I think that any turkey you shoot with a bow is a trophy no matter what.

Midway Chief

04-18-2006, 09:02 AM

Oh, and very neat story Gonzo! Killing one with a bow is a great feat. Should make a real interesting mount!

Phobia

04-18-2006, 09:03 AM

I could probably pick them off with a pellet gun in my back yard. Yesterday I was out walking with the family and there was half a dozen of them perusing the forrest about 10 feet off the sidewalk. They were undaunted by our presence.

Phobia

04-18-2006, 09:04 AM

Should make a real interesting mount!

Spoken like a true farm-boy.

Gonzo

04-18-2006, 09:05 AM

I could probably pick them off with a pellet gun in my back yard. Yesterday I was out walking with the family and there was half a dozen of them perusing the forrest about 10 feet off the sidewalk. They were undaunted by our presence.

That's the way it always goes! When you're hunting for them you never see any. ROFL

e_train69

04-18-2006, 09:24 AM

Great story!

Congratulations on scoring with your bow. Very difficult to do. I'm still trying to get my first with a bow. I always harvest one with my gun first then take out the bow. I shot a nice 23# bird last weekend with a double 9" beard. It's time to get out the Mathews now.

munkey

04-18-2006, 09:34 AM

Great story!

I always harvest one with my gun first then take out the bow.

Now there's something I hadn't thought about...

What kind of blind do you use?

e_train69

04-18-2006, 09:39 AM

munkey

I use a Double Bull blind. Great blinds, but expensive. You have a lot of area in them to draw a bow, and shoot in all directions.

munkey

04-18-2006, 09:47 AM

munkey

I use a Double Bull blind. Great blinds, but expensive. You have a lot of area in them to draw a bow, and shoot in all directions.

Thanks....

I'll look into it.

Our weather up here (Western Idaho) has been the shit....Still way to much snow so all the birds are low. I plan on getting out this weekend.

Gonzo

04-18-2006, 10:09 AM

munkey

I use a Double Bull blind. Great blinds, but expensive. You have a lot of area in them to draw a bow, and shoot in all directions.

Sounds like a good blind. Does it have the shoot-through camo windows?

Boise_Chief

04-18-2006, 11:04 AM

Heh Cool story.
I'm just finishing gathering together my gear. My 12 YO daughter has her first hunt this weekend. My neighbor is a new host for Kid Outdoors a regional Tv show and they are taping the hunt. She's very nervous and worried she'll mess up the shot.

You all might get to see it if you have the outdoor channel. They are in talks with Mossy oak and Texas trophy hunters to possibly go national.

Gonzo

04-18-2006, 11:09 AM

Heh Cool story.
I'm just finishing gathering together my gear. My 12 YO daughter has her first hunt this weekend. My neighbor is a new host for Kid Outdoors a regional Tv show and they are taping the hunt. She's very nervous and worried she'll mess up the shot.

You all might get to see it if you have the outdoor channel. They are in talks with Mossy oak and Texas trophy hunters to possibly go national.

That's cool. Let us know when it's supposed to air!

Iowanian

04-18-2006, 11:14 AM

Think of the effort and time you'd have saved if you'd have just shimied up the tree, bird murderer.
Not only that, you're now an environment wrecking, clearcut logger.

I'll try to fill my tag saturday and sunday.

If you'd have just put a broadhead, through his pinhead, you'd have had an easier morning.

munkey

04-18-2006, 11:47 AM

Heh Cool story.
I'm just finishing gathering together my gear. My 12 YO daughter has her first hunt this weekend. My neighbor is a new host for Kid Outdoors a regional Tv show and they are taping the hunt. She's very nervous and worried she'll mess up the shot.

You all might get to see it if you have the outdoor channel. They are in talks with Mossy oak and Texas trophy hunters to possibly go national.

What area are you going? That is if your hunting in Idaho.

I thought the youth hunt was last weekend?

Gonzo

04-18-2006, 12:27 PM

Think of the effort and time you'd have saved if you'd have just shimied up the tree, bird murderer.
Not only that, you're now an environment wrecking, clearcut logger.

I'll try to fill my tag saturday and sunday.

If you'd have just put a broadhead, through his pinhead, you'd have had an easier morning.
I'm a good shot but not that good. ROFL

Boise_Chief

04-18-2006, 12:40 PM

We are hunting up north. In the Kooskia/Kamiah area and on a ranch above Orofino. The Youth hunt was April 7th and 8th but her hunt was put off because they were trying to get Mossy Oak up to tape it also. That and the snow is still down low and all the birds are in the bottoms and by the rivers.
I don't know when the show will air but I will let you know. It'll probably be fall or later with production etc. I'll get some stills and maybe digital vid to post.

munkey

04-18-2006, 12:51 PM

We are hunting up north. In the Kooskia/Kamiah area and on a ranch above Orofino. The Youth hunt was April 7th and 8th but her hunt was put off because they were trying to get Mossy Oak up to tape it also. That and the snow is still down low and all the birds are in the bottoms and by the rivers.
I don't know when the show will air but I will let you know. It'll probably be fall or later with production etc. I'll get some stills and maybe digital vid to post.

Cool...

I've pretty much accecpted the fact I won't be getting my bird until this or next weekend...I'll be up on the Cambridge/Council area. Should be good....

Boise_Chief

04-18-2006, 12:54 PM

The snow is melting off and the birds are moving up out of the deep cover. It should be good they were able to film 2 kids last weekend getting their first birds.

munkey

04-18-2006, 12:57 PM

The snow is melting off and the birds are moving up out of the deep cover. It should be good they were able to film 2 kids last weekend getting their first birds.

That's good to hear...

I haven't even scouted this year but I'm not all that worried about it. I got my bird last year at a much lower elevation so I'm kinda expecting most of the birds to be around the same place this year.

ChiefsCountry

04-18-2006, 02:29 PM

That's the way it always goes! When you're hunting for them you never see any. ROFL

Aint that the truth. I was hunting one year on our farm, no turkeys in the woods but they were in the front yard. :banghead: